The Blarney Stone

Saturday

Apr 26, 2014 at 12:01 AMApr 27, 2014 at 11:41 PM

We leave Dublin in the morning and drive south through farm country, making a short stop at Rock of Cashel that rises 200 feet above the flat land around it. The story is that St. Patrick converted the King of Munster to Christianity here in the fifth century, and the Rock of Cashel was thereafter home of the kings of Munster until the Norman invasion. The structure here now was built in the 1100s. The oldest and tallest part is the 98-foot round tower you can see in the foreground.

(above: Rock of Cashel)

We don’t spend much time at Cashel. I would have liked to see more. (Once again, I hear Kate’s voice in my head, telling me I should rent a car. ) But we are trying to see a lot in a short time, our guide is knowledgeable and pleasant, so I shrug off the thought. We continue south to Blarney Castle where Munster kings lived after the Norman invasion.

The Blarney Stone LegendSome stories say the Crusaders brought the stone from the Holy Land-- that it was Jacob’s Pillow—the stone on which Jacob, son of Abraham, rested his head and dreamed that God spoke to him of the nation that he would father. Some say that David hid behind this stone to evade King Saul. Some say this is the very stone Moses struck to provide water in the wilderness.

(above: Blarney Castle view)

There is a story about St. Columba (St. Colm Cille) resting his head on this stone as he lay dying, and it was brought to Scotland where it became part of the tradition of Scottish royal succession.Later, in 1314, Cormac McCarthy, King of Munster, sent military aid to Scotland’s King Robert the Bruce in his battle for independence from England. In gratitude, Robert the Bruce gave this holy stone to McCarthy. In the mid-1400's, the stone was built into the battlement of what is now called Blarney Castle.

(above: ancient 'window')

And how did the Blarney stone become synonymous with the gift of gab? When Queen Elizabeth tried to claim the land belonging to the Lord of Blarney, he decided to plead his case with her. But he was neither eloquent nor glib, and feared he would not prevail. An old woman, on learning the cause of his low-spirited look, told him of the legendary stone built into the Castle and advised him that if he could *kiss* the stone, he’d be blessed with eloquence.

(above: the view from the top)

As if the stories of the stone were not sufficient to inspire awe, kissing the stone is an activity for an acrobat. Because of its placement in the tower, you pretty much have to hang upside down to kiss it. Fortunately, at the top of the tower, there waits a man ready to support the seekers of eloquence as they clutch the arm rails (a new installation to prevent little accidents) and kiss the Blarney Stone.

(above: Kissing the Blarney Stone)

As recently as March 2014, Glasgow University researchers have been able to determine that the stone is Irish, not Scottish, not from the Holy Land. The stone’s origins are as Irish as the Blarney Sto n … oh… wait….

I do not question the stone’s ability to bequeath those who kiss it with the gift of gab. I don’t want to say it works, I don’t want to say it doesn’t. But I am writing this blog…

We leave Dublin in the morning and drive south through farm country, making a short stop at Rock of Cashel that rises 200 feet above the flat land around it. The story is that St. Patrick converted the King of Munster to Christianity here in the fifth century, and the Rock of Cashel was thereafter home of the kings of Munster until the Norman invasion. The structure here now was built in the 1100s. The oldest and tallest part is the 98-foot round tower you can see in the foreground.
(above: Rock of Cashel)
We don’t spend much time at Cashel. I would have liked to see more. (Once again, I hear Kate’s voice in my head, telling me I should rent a car. ) But we are trying to see a lot in a short time, our guide is knowledgeable and pleasant, so I shrug off the thought. We continue south to Blarney Castle where Munster kings lived after the Norman invasion.
The Blarney Stone Legend
Some stories say the Crusaders brought the stone from the Holy Land-- that it was Jacob’s Pillow—the stone on which Jacob, son of Abraham, rested his head and dreamed that God spoke to him of the nation that he would father. Some say that David hid behind this stone to evade King Saul. Some say this is the very stone Moses struck to provide water in the wilderness.
(above: Blarney Castle view)
There is a story about St. Columba (St. Colm Cille) resting his head on this stone as he lay dying, and it was brought to Scotland where it became part of the tradition of Scottish royal succession.
Later, in 1314, Cormac McCarthy, King of Munster, sent military aid to Scotland’s King Robert the Bruce in his battle for independence from England. In gratitude, Robert the Bruce gave this holy stone to McCarthy. In the mid-1400's, the stone was built into the battlement of what is now called Blarney Castle.
(above: ancient 'window')
And how did the Blarney stone become synonymous with the gift of gab? When Queen Elizabeth tried to claim the land belonging to the Lord of Blarney, he decided to plead his case with her. But he was neither eloquent nor glib, and feared he would not prevail. An old woman, on learning the cause of his low-spirited look, told him of the legendary stone built into the Castle and advised him that if he could *kiss* the stone, he’d be blessed with eloquence.
(above: the view from the top)
As if the stories of the stone were not sufficient to inspire awe, kissing the stone is an activity for an acrobat. Because of its placement in the tower, you pretty much have to hang upside down to kiss it. Fortunately, at the top of the tower, there waits a man ready to support the seekers of eloquence as they clutch the arm rails (a new installation to prevent little accidents) and kiss the Blarney Stone.
(above: Kissing the Blarney Stone)
As recently as March 2014, Glasgow University researchers have been able to determine that the stone is Irish, not Scottish, not from the Holy Land. The stone’s origins are as Irish as the Blarney Sto n … oh… wait….
I do not question the stone’s ability to bequeath those who kiss it with the gift of gab. I don’t want to say it works, I don’t want to say it doesn’t. But I am writing this blog…